Mandevilla &#34;White Delite&#34;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of Mandevilla characterized by medium-sized white flowers, shiny, dark evergreen leaves and branching growth habit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Mandevilla thatoriginated from self-pollinating the hybrid Mandevilla X `Alice duPont`. Mandevilla X `Alice du Pont` is a hybrid from a cross of [M.splendens X (unknown species)] X M. splendens according to Bailey (seereference noted below).

This new Mandevilla is the result of deliberate self-pollinationperformed by the inventor in a greenhouse at Gem Ornamentals in Tavares,Fla. in 1989. This new variety was selected for further evaluationbecause it had a white flower color. The new variety has been reproducedby asexual propagation using cuttings. Each of the progeny exhibitsidentical characteristics to the original mother plant establishing thishybrid as reproducible and true to type.

This new variety is neither like any Mandevilla commercially availablenor any of those described in the following publications:

Bailey, L. H. and E. Z. Bailey; Hortus Third, Macmillian, New York,1976.

Graf, A. B.; Color Cyclopedia of Exotic Plants and Trees, Rohers Co.East Rutherford, N.J., 1978.

Unlike currently available Mandevilla, the present invention has thefollowing unusual characteristics:

1. White flowers -- that open pale pink, fade to white within 1-2 daysafter anthesis and remain on the plant an additional 3-4 days;

2. Growth habit that exhibits moderate axillary branching once floweringhas been initiated; and

3. Linear to elliptically shaped, leathery, shiny dark green andevergreen leaves.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying photographs which illustrate the present invention areas follows:

FIG. 1 is a frontal view of a 4-month-old plant of the invention showingits white flowers, shiny leaves and vining growth habits.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following is a detailed description of the new Mandevilla plantbased on observations of the specimen plants grown in Tavares, Fla. asshown in the accompanying photographs. The color determinations andcomparisons are all based on The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart.

Overall size and growth habit:

Size.--The ultimate size of the new variety is unknown as no plant hasreached full maturity. The new hybrid has grown between 1 to 1.5 metersin two months under greenhouse conditions in the summer in Tavares, Fla.

Growth habit.--The growth habit is a woody twining vine with evergreen,linear to elliptic leaves and large funnel form to trumpet-shaped whiteflowers borne in axillary clusters on new growth. Plants exhibitmoderate axillary branching along the vine once flowering begins. Stemsremain green and are minutely hairy.

Foliage:

Type.--Evergreen, herbaceous.

Shape.--Linear to elliptic.

Length.--12 cm to 16 cm.

Width.--3 cm to 5.5 cm.

Petiole length.--0.5 cm to 1.2 cm.

Margins.--Entire, slightly undulate.

Apex.--Acuminate.

Base.--Cordate.

Texture.--Leathery, minutely hairy.

Leaf arrangement.--Opposite.

Venation.--Pinnate, slightly sunken midribs and veins.

Color.--Upper Leaf surface -- R.H.S. Colour Chart Fan 3, Group, No.137A. Upper midrib -- R.H.S. Colour Chart Fan 3, Green Group, No. 138B.Lower leaf surface -- R.H.S. Colour Chart Fan 3, Yellow-green Group No.146A. Lower midrib -- R.H.S. Colour Chart Fan 3, Yellow-green Group, No.145C.

Flowers:

Arrangement.--Lateral, axillary racemes producing flowers throughout theflowering season (May through October). Individual racemes 5-7 flowered.Inflorescense longer than subtending leaves.

Structure.--Bisexual, stamens borne on corolla, anthers connivent,adhering to stigma. Corolla width.--8 to 10 cm. Tube and throatlength.--3.5 to 4.5 cm. Corolla lobes rounded with accuminate tips.

Habit.--Diurnal, remaining on plant 5-6 days.

Color.--Corolla opens pale-pink, R.H.S. Colour Chart Fan 2, Red-PurpleGroup, No. 62D, but fades to white R.H.S. Colour Chart Fan 4, WhiteGroup, No. 155D within 2 days. Accuminate corolla tips also open palepink R.H.S. Colour Chart Fan 2 Red-Purple Group, No. 62C, but also fadesto white, R.H.S. Colour Chart Fan 4, White Group, No. 155D, within twodays. Throat color opens striated light pink, R.H.S. Colour Chart Fan 2,Red-Purple Group, No. 62C, and fades to striated pale pink, R.H.S.Colour Chart Fan 2, Red-purple Group No. 62D, after one day. Yellowishcoloration, R.H.S. Colour Chart Fan 1, Green-Yellow Group 1C, is alsovisible at the base of the throat around the stamens on a mature flower.

i Fragrance.--None.

Tubers: The tubers taken from a 1-year-old plant were irregular in shapevarying from cylindrical to globose with constrictions occurring atirregular intervals. The diameter was between 0.5 and 2.0 cm. Theircolor was R.H.S. Colour Chart Fan 4, Grey-Brown Group, No. 199A.

Fruit and seed: No fruit or seed have been observed on this variety.

Cold hardiness: This new variety has withstood temperatures of 34° F.but is not frost tolerant.

In contrast, the original parent plant and its differences from thepresent invention are readily apparent from the following description ofthe parent plant:

Mandevilla X `Alice du Pont`:

Leaf shape.--Elliptic-oblong to ovate-oblong.

Leaf length.--10 cm to 13 cm, not as long as the new variety.

Leaf width.--4 cm to 6.5 cm, wider than the new variety.

Petiole length.--0.4 cm to 0.7 cm, shorter than the new variety.

Stem and lower leaf surfaces.--Beginning 7.5 cm to 12.5 cm from thegrowing tip, the lower leaf surfaces, midribs and/or stem show apinkish-red pigmentation. No such pinkish-red pigmentation occurs on thelower leaf surface, midribs and/or stems of the new variety. Stems ofthe new variety are green as previously described.

Corolla width.--9.5 cm to 11.5 cm, wider than the new variety.

Tube and throat length.--5 cm to 5.7 cm, longer than the new variety.

Flower color.--Corolla opens pink, R.H.S. Colour Chart Fan 2, Red-Purplegroup No. 63C, but darkens to deep pink, R.H.S. Colour Chart Fan 2,Red-Purple group No. 63A. The new variety opens pale pink and lightensto white as previously described. Throat color opens striated dark pinkR.H.S. Colour Chart Fan 2, Red-Purple group No. 64C and darkens to No.63A. New variety's throat opens R.H.S. Colour Chart Fan 2, Red-PurpleNo. 62C, and lightens to 62D. White, R.H.S. Colour Chart Fan 4, WhiteGroup No. 155B, is also visible at the base of the throat around thestamens on a mature flower. The new variety's throat is yellow-green aspreviously described.

Fragrance.--Faint.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:
 1. A new and distinctvariety of Mandevilla plant substantially as shown and described,characterized by:flowers that open pale pink and become white within twodays and last an additional 3-4 days on the plant; moderate axillarybranching once the plant reaches flowering size; and shiny, dark greenlinear to elliptically-shaped leaves on the plant.